


I left a woman waiting

by Pameluke



Category: Spartacus Series (TV), Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Pre-Canon, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-29
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-19 21:03:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/577631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pameluke/pseuds/Pameluke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melitta waits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rivlee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/gifts).



Melitta waits.

She waits while she reorganizes the cellars and goes through the food storages to see what needs to be ordered. 

She waits while she listens to the gossiping Naevia and Diona, and orders them to double check if the jewelry is cleaned well enough.

She waits and she is patient.

She catches a glimps of him when she joins Domina on the balcony for a moment, and suddenly the waiting becomes unbearable, and her patience wears thin. Two more nights before she can be in his arms again, and she’s not sure she can wait that long.

But she has no choice, so she waits…

***

Melitta waits.

The crowd is cheering and the dust doesn’t settle. Two more games before it’s his turn and her stomach churns. 

Domina orders water and she offers her some immediatly. Domina doesn’t like to wait. She never has to. 

Men fight. Men die. The crowd cheers.

She can’t stop fiddling with a loose string on her dress. She waits with longing to see him shine on the sand. He always does.

But when she sees Theokoles, she wished she’d had to wait longer.

Men fight. The crowd cheers.

She waits for him to get up but he doesn’t.

The dust settles.

***

Melitta waits. 

She walks the halls. She orders wine and olive oil. Diona avoids her eyes but Naevia touches her arm before they leave her to prepare Domina’s bath.

The ludus is quiet. No sounds of gladiators training or visiting guests. The silence weighs down on her. But she waits.

She pours water over Dominas shoulder until all the dust of the day is gone. When she offers her her robe the waiting is finally over.

She can go downstairs. She can see him. Touch him. Make sure he’s still alive.

No more waiting.

***

He hasn’t woken up.

Melitta waits.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oenomaus trains.

Oenomaus trains.

The days are long and filled with dust and pain. But he has trained to ignore the sand in his wounds. To ignore the smell of blood and the sounds of men dying on the sand. He fights and he brings honor to his house. 

And he has her.

The days are long and there's too much time. Too much time between short evenings spent in her company. Too much time between soft touches and gentle smiles. 

He lives for honor, pain and violence. He's not used to joy.

If he could train himself to deal with death, surely he can train to deal with love? To deal with longing?

So he trains, but he never stops missing her.

***

She smiles at him. The crowd cheers. The dust settles.

He hasn't trained enough.

***

Oenomaus trains.

The pain doesn't stop, her love doesn't heal. There's no honor in mere survival. His movements are slow, his hits not hard enough, his aim not quite true. 

But he trains and he gets better. 

Dominus calls upon him, and he's sure he has trained enough to fight upon the sands again. He'll be an honorable member of the House of Batiatus once more. 

Dominus does honor him, but it is a slight. He will never fight again.

But she still smiles at him. 

***

New recruits arrive.

Oenomaus trains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gave myself feels with the Melitta story, and Oenomaus' side wouldn't leave me alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from a song by Leonard Cohen.  
> Written for a prompt by Rivlee on tumblr.


End file.
